Tiger Plays His Best “Shot”

Nineteen days have passed since the sky came crashing down on the world of professional golf. One player’s marital infidelity, a crash in the night while under the apparent influence of some intoxicating agent, and then silence—except from a chirping chorus of females joyously proclaiming to have shared sexual experiences with who? Tiger Woods? How could this be?
Then, suddenly the world of professional golf went silent. Nothing of substance came out of PGA Tour headquarters. The Golf Channel became a series of “Paid Programming,” “Playing Lessons,” “Big Break” time-fillers. Oh, there was a tournament, one of those unofficial functions with a selected field. It bore Tiger’s name, but Tiger called in and bailed out. I don’t even remember who won. I do remember that the player who filled Tiger’s playing spot, the Irish Graeme McDowell, finished second. The oil company that sponsored it lost—or, maybe it didn’t. A lot of us tuned in just to see how a Tiger tournament came off without Tiger. The commentators talked in the manner of people walking barefoot on broken glass.
In other words, the world of golf stood still. Elin’s mother, identified only as “Tiger’s mother-in law,” flew in from Sweden, fell ill one night and had to be take to hospital. A few days later a dray truck pulled up to the residence in Windermere and loaded several large boxes. Apparently, Elin and children were preparing to take flight. (Meanwhile, Jesper Parnevik blatantly said he was sorry he ever introduced the two, while Elin served as the Parnevik family nanny. Parnevik was belayed by some critics.)
After several days, Jack Nicklaus was asked for his opinion on the matter. He said, quite wisely, I thought: “It’s none of my
business.”
Finally, after days of total silence, Woods came forth himself, and what he said was the only thing he could have said, and should have said. He was contrite.
“After much soul-searching, I have decided to take an indefinite break from professional golf. I need to focus my attention on being a better husband, father and better person. I am deeply aware of the disappointment and hurt that my infidelity has caused to so many people, most of all my wife and children. I want to say again to everyone that I am profoundly sorry and that I ask forgiveness.” (And here’s where he faced up to harsh reality.) “It may not be possible to repair the damage I’ve done, but I want to do my best to try.”
So far, so good. There’s a strong ring of sincerity in what he said, and how he said it, presuming that these were his words and not penned by some spokesperson.
By this time, Elin and children may be on the way to Sweden, and there may be no strain of forgiveness in her soul. You have to have been there to know how unlikely it is that the damage in such a relationship as this can ever be repaired. That is the most important matter in this situation, not whether he will be playing the Masters in April, or that his absence from the Tour might cost a 50 per cent drop in television ratings. This is a “course” Tiger has never played before. He’d better be at the top of his game as a husband.